Louisiana House advances two bills addressing gender identity in schools

FILE – The Louisiana Capitol is seen, April 4, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La. Legislation in Louisiana, that would gradually increase the $7.25 an hour minimum wage and a measure that would make discriminating against LGBTQ people in the workforce illegal, failed in a House committee Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephen Smith, File)

by: Trinity Velazquez

Posted: Apr 17, 2024 / 04:30 PM EDT

Updated: Apr 17, 2024 / 04:05 PM EDT

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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Two gender identity-related bills advanced in the Louisiana House of Representatives Tuesday.

HB121, also called the “Given Name Act”, would require teachers and school staff to use the pronouns and name on a student’s birth certificate. They can only use others if there is written parental permission. Employees don’t have to use pronouns that don’t match the student’s birth certificate sex if it goes against their religious beliefs.

The House passed the bill with a vote of 68-30, and it is now on its way to the Senate.

HB122, which is Louisiana’s version of the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, passed with a vote of 69-28. The bill says that teachers in Louisiana public schools, from kindergarten to 12th grade, can’t talk about sexual orientation or gender identity in ways that don’t follow state-approved lessons.

HB122 now heads to the Senate.

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